Sorghum-furnace



(No Model.)

W. H. H. SPRADLIN.

SORGHUM PURNAGE. N0 390 713 Patented Oct. 9, 1888.

N. PETERS, Phulo-L'flhugmpher. Wuhinginn. D. C.

UNrrE STATES PATENT Farce.

VVILLlAM H. H. SPRADLIN, OF SOUTH FORK, MISSOURI.

SORGHUM- FURNACE.

SPECIFICATIONfoz-ming part of Letters Patent No. 390,713, dated October 9, 1888.

Application filed January 25, 1888. Serial No. 2 3L583. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that 1. WILLIAM H. H. SPRAD- LIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Fork,in the county of Howell and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in SorghunrFurnaces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in furnaces for evaporating the juices of sorghum or sugarcane; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices, that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a furnace embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same.

A represents the furnace, which is rectangular in shape, is made of metal or other suitable material, and has its front end depressed to form a fire-box, B, 'in opposite sides of which are secured fire bricks or plates 0, to retain the heat and prevent the sides of the fire-box from being burned out. In the bottom of the fire-box is a grate, D, which has its inner end provided at its corners with projecting trunnions E, which trunnions are journaled in the lower ends of depending brackets F, which are secured to the outer sides of the furnace.

Under the front end of the furnace is pivoted a lug, G, which is adapted to be turned, so as to cause the shorter end' to engage the free edge of the grate,and thereby support the latter in a horizontal position in the bottom of the fire-box. By swinging the said lug outward the shorter arm may be caused to disengage the grate,and thereby cause the latter to drop and discharge the burning fuel from the firebox, as will be readily understood.

On the front end of the furnace is a door,H, through which fuel is fed to the fire-box.

I represents a series of vertical supportinglegs, which are attached to the corners of the furnace and support the same at a suitable distance above the ground. The front corners of the furnace are provided with a pair of projecting handles, K, and the lower ends of the supporting-legs at the rear corners of the furnace are provided with rollers or casters L. By this construction the operator is enabled to grasp the handles K,raise the front end of the furnace from the ground, and wheel the same to any desired place, as will be readily under stood.

M represents a horizontal partition or diaphragm, which is arranged in the furnace at a suitable distance above the bottom thereof, and which extends from near the rear end of the furnace to within a suitable distance of the fire-boX,as shown. This horizontal diaphragm or partition divides the rear portion of the furnace into two horizontal flues, N O, the former of which is below the diaphragm or partition,and the latter of which is above the same.

P represents a transverse plate, which is secured over the rear end of the furnace, and is provided with a smoke-pipe,R, through which the products of combustion escape.

S represents a damper, which is jonrnaled at its rear side in the sides of the furnace ata point on a level with and in close proximity to the front end of the diaphragm or partition M. This damper has a crank, P, by means of which it may be turned downward,as illustrated in solid lines in Fig. 2, so as to bear upon the bottom of the furnace,and by means of which the said damper may be turned upward to engage the lower side of the evaporating-pan a, as shown in dotted lines in the said figure. The crank is further provided with a ratchet-wheel,U, which is engaged by a pawl,V, and is thereby adapted to secure the damper S in any desired position.

W represents a damper, which is arranged at the rear end of the diaphragm or plate M, and has trunnions which are journaled in the sides of the furnace. The said damper is further provided with a crank, X, by means of which it may be either turned downward on the dia phragm M, as shownin dotted lines in Fig. 2, or it may be turned up against the upper side of the furnace, as shown in solid lines in the said figure, so as to close the rear end of the The sides of the furnace above the level of the diaphragm M,and on opposite sides ofthe same, are provided with openings Y, which may be either covered or uncovered by slides Z,which work in suitable horizontal guides, A, on op-' posite sides of the furnace.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

Vhen the dampers S and W are turned to the positions indicated in solid lines in Fig. 2, so as to close both ends of the flue N, the pro ducts of combustion and the calorie currents pass rearwardly over the diaphragm M and are brought directly in contact with the bottom of the evaporating-pan, so as to heat the latter to the maximum degree. NVhen it is desired to partially cool the evaporating-pan to prevent its contents from burning, the damper S is turned upward and the damper W is turned downward and forward, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,so as to cut offcommuni' cation between the fire-box and the flue O and open communication between the said firebox and the lower fine, N, and thereby cause the caloric currents and products of combustion to pass through the said flue N under the diaphragm M and at such a distance below the bottom of the evaporating-pan that the latter will be heated only to a minimum extent. In the event that it should be necessary to rapidly cool the evaporating-pan to prevent its contenls from burning, this may be accomplished by turning the dampers to aposition thus described, and by opening the slides Z, so as to uncover the openings Y in the sides of the furnace, and thus admit fresh cold air to the flue 0 between the bottom of the evaporatingpan and the top of the diaphragm M. If necessary to do so, the tire may be entirely discharged froin the furnace by turning the lever or catch G, so as to disengage the grate and cause the latter to tip or drop downward, as hereinbefore described.

A furnace thus constructed is extremely cheap and simple, and is provided with ample means for so thoroughly regulating the heat that the contents of the evaporating-pan may be entirely prevented from being scorched or burned. 7

Having thus described my invention I claiml. The combination of the furnace having its front end depressed to form a fire-box, the pan a, resting on the furnace and forming the top of the same, the horizontal partition ar' ranged in the rear portion of the furnace and forming the tines N O, the damper S, pivoted between the sides of the furnace at the front L end of the partition and adapted to be turned down against the bottom of the furnace and up against the bottom of the pan a, and the damper YV, pivoted between the sides of the furnace at the rear end of the partit.ion,as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the furnace having the fire-box B at its front end and the openings Y in its sides, near its rear end, the slides Z, mounted on the sides ofthe furnace and adapted to close said openings Y, the plate 1? on the upper side of the furnace at its rear end and having a smoke-exit, the horizontal partition in the rear portion of the furnace just below the openings Y and forming the fines N O,the vertically-swinging damper S, pivoted between the sides of the furnace at the front end of the partition, and the damper \V,pivoted between the sides of the furnace at the rear end of the partition, as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. H. SPRADLTN \Vitnesses:

J OIIN R. BRADFORD, W. L. Bannnonn. 

